Goddess of Spring (Goddess Summoning #2)(80)

Carolina Francesca Santoro - and not some flighty young goddess. And hadn't he been the one to point out that true love had more to do with the soul than the body? So why should it make any difference to him that her real body was that of a forty-three-year-old mortal? In theory it shouldn't.

Orion shot through the dark tunnel toward the broadening speck of light spil ing from the world above.

It was undeniable that she had been lying to Hades. Even though she hadn't meant to deceive him into loving her, would he believe that when he learned the truth? Would he understand?

And, most importantly, would he stil love her?

Orion gal oped out of the tunnel and into the soft light of a cool early morning. She pulled the stal ion to a halt, got her bearings and then guided him toward the marble basin which held Demeter's bal -shaped oracle. She slid from his back.

"Just hang around and be good. Hopeful y, this won't take too long."

"She has ridden Orion to feed a treat to Cerberus?"

The daimon nodded, looking slightly annoyed. "I fil ed the wineskin myself. She brought that great brute ambrosia!"

At any other time that would have made Hades laugh. Now doubts stabbed him in the heart. "But she told me she was exhausted. She was going to bathe and rest. Why would she go for a ride instead?"

"Only Persephone can answer that, Lord."

The growing sense of unease that had been gnawing at him since that morning blossomed. He must have hurt her. Had he frightened her? Or had he declared his love for her too soon? His chest tightened. She had not proclaimed her love in return. He remembered her tears. Silently cursing himself for his inexperience, he turned to the daimon.

"Bring me the Helmet of Invisibility!" he commanded.

Lina studied the oracle. It rested, stil and benign, a simple milky-colored glass bal . But it was a conduit to a Goddess who had the power to shape her future. Lina closed her eyes, admitting to herself that she wasn't just worried, she was scared. How could it work? She was a mortal, from another time and place. He was an ancient God. She felt tears of frustration well in her closed eyes.

Stop it! Pul yourself together! She had to tel Demeter everything. She couldn't avoid it any longer.

Persephone wasn't with the dog, although Cerberus had been happily licking at the well -mauled wineskin she'd fed him. She hadn't passed him returning to the palace, so Hades continued down the road. When he reached the boatman, Charon reported that he had ferried the goddess and her steed across Styx.

Hades admitted the worst to himself. Persephone was definitely returning to the Land of the Living. Hades felt a familiar burning begin in his chest. She was leaving him without saying goodbye? He did not want to believe it. He wouldn't believe it until he confronted her and she told him herself. With the speed of a god, Hades fol owed the dark path that would lead him to the world above and the Goddess of Spring.

Lina took a deep breath, and opened her eyes. Concentrating on the Goddess, she passed her hands three times over the oracle.

"Demeter, we need to talk," she said.

The orb began to swirl and almost instantly Demeter's handsome features swam into focus.

"When a daughter cal s upon her mother, the tone of her voice should be more welcoming than grim," Demeter said, softening the reprimand with a smal , motherly smile.

"I didn't mean any disrespect, but I do feel rather grim," Lina said. Demeter frowned. "What is troubling you, Daughter? I have heard only positive reports about your work. The spirits are pleased that the Goddess of Spring is sojourning in the Underworld." And that was quite true. Since the arrival of the goddess everyone believed to be Persephone in the Underworld, the unceasing, annoying petitions to Demeter from relatives of the dead had ended. Instead, sacrifices of thanksgiving had increased. The mortal must be making her presence known and doing an excel ent job of impersonating a goddess. Demeter couldn't imagine what could be bothering her.

"Things have taken an unexpected turn."

Demeter's frown deepened. "Do not tel me you have been discovered."

"No! Everyone stil thinks that I'm Persephone." Lina paused, chewing on her bottom lip. "But my problem does have to do with that."

"Explain yourself," Demeter said.

"I've fal en in love with Hades, and he loves me too, and I need to tel him who I real y am and figure out how to fix this mess," Lina said in a rush.

Demeter's eyes turned to stone. "This is not some kind of mortal jest you make?" Lina signed. "No, this is absolutely not funny."

"You are truly tel ing me that you and Hades have become lovers?"

"Yes."

"Then a god had dal ied with your affections," Demeter shook her head sadly. "I am to blame for this. I exposed a mortal to the whims of a god. Forgive me, Carolina Francesca Santoro, my intention was not to cause you pain."

"No," Lina protested. "It's not like that. He wasn't taking advantage of me. We fel in love - with each other."

"Fel in love? With each other?" Demeter's voice went hard. "How could that be? Hades believes that you are Persephone, Goddess of Spring. He has no idea that he has been making love to a mortal woman. Think, Carolina! How could you believe that it is you he loves?" She made a rude noise and her handsome face twisted. "Love! Are you real y so naive? Immortals love differently than mortals. Surely even in your world you have heard tales of the excesses of immortal love." Lina lifted her chin and narrowed her eyes. "I am not a child. Do not talk to me like I have the fickle emotions of an inexperienced girl. I know the difference between love and lust. I know when a man is using me, just as I know when he is treating me honestly. The lessons were hard, but experience taught me the difference."